Ulster Ravens claimed their first victory in this season's British and Irish Cup with a hard fought victory over Jersey in an entertaining game at Ravenhill despite the driving rain.
Niall O'Connor returning to face his old club had the first opportunity to open the scoring but his penalty dropped under the posts.
Jersey were quickly awarded another penalty and they went for touch but knocked on from the lineout. However, Ian Porter was punished for a crocked feed at the scrum.
Jeresy ...
Ulster Ravens claimed their first victory in this season's British and Irish Cup with a hard fought victory over Jersey in an entertaining game at Ravenhill despite the driving rain. Niall O'Connor returning to face his old club had the first opportunity to open the scoring but his penalty dropped under the posts. Jersey were quickly awarded another penalty and they went for touch but knocked on from the lineout. However, Ian Porter was punished for a crocked feed at the scrum. Jeresy opted for a scrum and wheeled it to the left before the back row broke off and drove at the Ravens line. The ball was popped back to captain Alex Rae and he went over on 12 minutes but O'Connor missed the conversion. Out half James McKinney got the Ravens first points when he landed a 28th minute penalty after Jersey were punished for collapsing a scrum. The Ravens took the lead with a bizarre try from full back David McIlwaine. He caught the ball on his own 10 metre line, he was tackled and grounded by two Jersey defenders but they didn't hold him. McIlwaine was free to get up and he set of on a run beating another two defenders to score in the corner on but McKinney couldn't convert. The out half added another penalty for the home team on 36 minutes to give the Ravens a 11-5 half time lead. McKinney extended Ulster's lead on 48 minutes with his third penalty. Prop Chris Taylor got the Ravens second try on 58 minutes. McKinney kicked a penalty to touch, from the line out Taylor peeled around to the front and when the gap opened he powered through to touch down and McKinney converted from a tight angle. Jersey's fight back began on 68 minutes when Ulster were punished for collapsing a scrum on half way. O'Connor kicked for touch and put his side five metres from the line. From the line out, Jersey drove the Ravens over the line and when the home side pulled the maul down the referee awarded a penalty try and O'Connor converted. Ravens had centre Ricky Andrew sin binned on 71 minutes and Jersey opted for a scrum, they got the drive on and when the Ravens collapsed the referee awarded the visitors another penalty try which O'Connor converted. McKinney's late penalty sealed the victory for the Ravens but Jersey left with a losing bonus point.
Mike McComish was the CD Group Man of the Match
Teams: Ravens D McIlwaine, C Cochrane, R Andrew, C Farrell, P Nelson, J McKinney, I Porter; M Cromie, N Annett (C), C Taylor, A O'Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, S Doyle, M McComish; Replacements J Murphy, M McGrath, M Rea, F Taggart, M Heaney, S McCloskey, D Busby. Jersey J Burroughs, M McCrea, D Locke, T Cooper, E Dawson, N O'Connor, J Dudley,
 T Fidler, L Stratford, D Young, D Markham, A Rae, J Voss, J Buckle, B Maidment. Replacements:
S McCarthy, D Felton, N Selway, N Campbell, N Griffiths, D Bishop, J Copsey
Ulster Ravens claimed their first victory in this season's British and Irish Cup with a hard fought victory over Jersey in an entertaining game at Ravenhill despite the driving rain. Niall O'Connor returning to face his old club had the first opportunity to open the scoring but his penalty dropped under the posts. Jersey were quickly awarded another penalty and they went for touch but knocked on from the lineout. However, Ian Porter was punished for a crocked feed at the scrum. Jeresy opted for a scrum and wheeled it to the left before the back row broke off and drove at the Ravens line. The ball was popped back to captain Alex Rae and he went over on 12 minutes but O'Connor missed the conversion. Out half James McKinney got the Ravens first points when he landed a 28th minute penalty after Jersey were punished for collapsing a scrum. The Ravens took the lead with a bizarre try from full back David McIlwaine. He caught the ball on his own 10 metre line, he was tackled and grounded by two Jersey defenders but they didn't hold him. McIlwaine was free to get up and he set of on a run beating another two defenders to score in the corner on but McKinney couldn't convert. The out half added another penalty for the home team on 36 minutes to give the Ravens a 11-5 half time lead. McKinney extended Ulster's lead on 48 minutes with his third penalty. Prop Chris Taylor got the Ravens second try on 58 minutes. McKinney kicked a penalty to touch, from the line out Taylor peeled around to the front and when the gap opened he powered through to touch down and McKinney converted from a tight angle. Jersey's fight back began on 68 minutes when Ulster were punished for collapsing a scrum on half way. O'Connor kicked for touch and put his side five metres from the line. From the line out, Jersey drove the Ravens over the line and when the home side pulled the maul down the referee awarded a penalty try and O'Connor converted. Ravens had centre Ricky Andrew sin binned on 71 minutes and Jersey opted for a scrum, they got the drive on and when the Ravens collapsed the referee awarded the visitors another penalty try which O'Connor converted. McKinney's late penalty sealed the victory for the Ravens but Jersey left with a losing bonus point.
Mike McComish was the CD Group Man of the MatchTeams: Ravens D McIlwaine, C Cochrane, R Andrew, C Farrell, P Nelson, J McKinney, I Porter; M Cromie, N Annett (C), C Taylor, A O'Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, S Doyle, M McComish; Replacements J Murphy, M McGrath, M Rea, F Taggart, M Heaney, S McCloskey, D Busby. Jersey J Burroughs, M McCrea, D Locke, T Cooper, E Dawson, N O'Connor, J Dudley,
 T Fidler, L Stratford, D Young, D Markham, A Rae, J Voss, J Buckle, B Maidment. Replacements:
S McCarthy, D Felton, N Selway, N Campbell, N Griffiths, D Bishop, J Copsey